


Stitches

by AjanisApprentice



Series: Whumptober 2019 [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-27 01:28:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20940035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AjanisApprentice/pseuds/AjanisApprentice
Summary: For Whumptober 2019, Prompt 11.





	Stitches

Jeralt just knows his late wife is turning over in her grave back in the monastery. Bad enough that he ran off from the church with their kid, bad enough he isn't telling Byleth about the past they both have with the church (or anything about the church at all really), but now here he is giving Byleth weapons and teaching the kid to fight when Byleth is barely five years old. 

It's inevitable of course, considering his choice to both become a mercenary and take his kid with him, (Jeralt doesn't think he can stomach the thought of leaving Byleth with anyone else as the kid is all he has left) that he has to teach Byleth how to fight as early as possible. Yet still, many of his men think he's irresponsible at best and insane at worst. He can't say he blames them; he wonders the same thing often.

_ Jeralt the Blade-Breaker; truly an exemplary model of fatherhood.  _ The thought runs through Jeralt's head and the man has to fight to hold back an absurd derisive laugh from escaping his throat.

His mercenary group is currently staying in a village they had just helped defend from bandits and he decided that while they were staying in one place anyway, he might as well get some lessons in with Byleth. 

The two are a bit of a distance from the village and Jeralt is watching the kid practice sword swings, taking note of Byleth’s form and movements. Even now, the kid shows promise. Byleth is focused and diligent and shows an innate proficiency for the blade. But for all the pride he feels over this, Jeralt can’t help but feel self-loathing over the fact that Byleth has to learn all this in the first place, that his kid can’t have a normal childhood.

That self-loathing reaches new heights when Byleth trips and loses control of the blade, which proceeds to cut a deep gash in his kid’s arm. 

Jeralt immediately runs over, taking stock of the situation. A hundred plus years in this world has taught him much, mostly patience and how to keep calm. He draws on that now, keeping himself calm and collected. Byleth, who had fallen face first, begins to try and get up, but Jeralt gently grabs his kid’s shoulder (the one on the arm that wasn’t cut) and helps turn Byleth over. 

“Don’t exert yourself kid,” his voice is even and doesn’t betray his worry or the self-directed anger welling up inside. He helps his child up and runs his eyes over the cut. Luckily it somehow managed to be clean, but it went in pretty deep and blood is seeping out. 

(For a moment Jeralt has an absurd and inappropriate desire to smile and laugh at relief over the fact that yes, his kid does in fact have blood pumping just like any other person but he disregards the urge.)

Jeralt quickly rips a portion of his sleeve off and wraps Byleth’s wound before scooping the kid into his arms. “It’s going to need stitches,” he says as he begins to walk to the village.  All the while Byleth is silent.

* * *

As Jeralt finishes the last stitch, he looks into Byleth’s eyes. “How you feeling kid?”

“I’m alright father.” A frown forms on Jeralt’s face as he looks his kid over. Yes, Byleth certainly seems alright physically, but that doesn’t put him at ease. Byleth never once let out a whimper or gasp of pain; not when the kid tripped and got slashed, not as he stitched up the wound. It’s troubling.

Jeralt’s frown deepens as Byleth asks “May I return to my practice?”

“No. You’ve done enough today.” Jeralt’s voice is even and firm, not angry but also very clearly final. “For now I’d suggest resting. Maybe find something to read. I need to clean up and check what the rest of the group wants to do about dinner.” At this Byleth nods and his kid gets up and walks out of the bedroom of the house they’d been loaned and goes off to find something to read. All the while Jeralt watches him go, the frown not disappearing from his face.


End file.
